Seeking a fresh start beyond Winnipeg, the veteran goaltender is reportedly widening his horizons, eyeing non-contenders like Utah and San Jose to facilitate a long-awaited blockbuster trade.
With new reports coming out regularly on Connor Hellebuyck's situation with the Winnipeg Jets, it increasingly looks like the two sides are heading toward a split.
Hellebuyck has several reasons that could be driving his desire to leave, from wanting to win now, to a less-than-warm reception back in Winnipeg after his gold medal run with Team USA, to what appears to be a broader search for a fresh start for himself and his family.
Actually moving the three-time Vezina Trophy winner has proven difficult so far. The closest it came was around the NHL Draft, when the Jets nearly sent Hellebuyck to the Buffalo Sabres in a deal that would have returned the fourth overall pick and forward Jack Quinn, before that trade ultimately fell apart.
At this point, it appears Hellebuyck is simply focused on getting out of Winnipeg. He made that clear in a public statement released this past week, reiterating that his stance hasn't wavered and that he's still seeking a trade.
New reporting suggests he may be even less picky than previously thought about where that trade sends him. The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta said on a recent radio hit that Hellebuyck sounds "a lot more open to different scenarios" than some other players currently navigating trade requests, pointing specifically to Dylan Larkin as a contrast.
That builds on earlier reporting that Hellebuyck is willing to waive his no-movement clause for a wide range of teams, not just top contenders. According to Pagnotta, that openness has put teams on the fringe of the playoff picture, like the Utah Mammoth and San Jose Sharks, into the conversation as potential fits.
It also leaves the door open for other previously discussed destinations, including the Detroit Red Wings, given Hellebuyck's Michigan roots, and the Philadelphia Flyers, both of which could realistically be in range to make a run at the veteran goaltender.
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